Peter
by rika195
Summary: Tinkerbell finds a whistle she knows she must return. And as the fairies bring Winter to the Mainland, she seeks out the boy whom it belongs to. But when she finds him, she can't leave him. Now what? She'll just have to take him with her to Neverland!


**~Peter~**

A Tinkerbell Story

_Inspired by the Tinkerbell movie_

_I do not own Peter Pan, Disney Fairies, or anything related to it._

_I have just always loved Peter Pan and Tinkerbell_

_I hope you enjoy it.  
_

Chapter One

Normally Lost Things were hers to enjoy, experiment with, and create new things for fairies to use in their Talents. She loved Lost Things, especially because of how usable they made her inventions. They were so sturdy, and came in such strange shapes and sizes! There were hundreds of uses for them, and thousands of things for her to tinker with.

Since finally admitting her love for tinkering, Tinkerbell could not stop. Her greatest joy was finding new ways of blessing her other fairy friends with a new contraption. Lost Things helped her make them.

But this Lost Thing was different. She wasn't sure how to explain how it made her feel, holding the brass whistle in her arms like she was hugging a very short flower stem. Was it sadness? Longing? She couldn't decide. But one thing she knew for sure, was that this whistle was not for her to tinker with.

"Where have you been, Tinkerbell?" Slivermist asked, flying up to her. Tinkerbell always liked to hang out on the Island floor, searching it for lost things. It made her difficult to find. "We've been looking for you! Don't you want to help us get ready?"

"It's time already?" Tinkerbell glanced up, shifting her brass whistle so that she carried it in both arms. It wasn't that heavy, it was just awkward because it was as long as one of her legs. "I forgot…"

"You're silly," Silvermist giggled. "Winter only happens once a year. It's gone a lot faster since you helped make those cool icicle makers! And the frost-blower is great too. Everyone's waiting for you to come!"

"It is nice of them to keep letting me go to the Mainland…"

"Of course! Even if you don't have any lost things to return, we love it when you come with us! It's tradition now." Silvermist took Bell's hand and pulled her into the air, causing her to nearly drop her whistle. "Hurry, or you'll miss Queen Clarion's arrival!"

"Wouldn't want to miss that…" Tinkerbell giggled too, hurrying to catch up. She glanced down at her newest find, sighing a bit. It was true that the last few times she'd been to the Mainland, she hadn't found anything that needed to be returned. But this whistle… "I think I will have something to return this season," she whispered. "Something important."

"That?" Silvermist gaped at it. "It's so neat…what is it?"

Tinkerbell smiled. "It's a whistle, I think. See, a human puts it in their mouth and blows, and it makes a sharp sound!"

"Really? You'd need a pretty big mouth…"

"They are pretty big…"

Both fairies shivered, having come upon Winter Wood. It was always cold, but the tinkers had prepared hot cider for the other fairies to enjoy. Tinkerbell hurried to get a cup, holding it close to her chest to keep her warm. Whistle lying at her feet, she waited next to her friends for Queen Clarion's arrival.

As always, the queen arrived in an explosion of golden mist, shedding a bright light upon the winter snow that blanketed the ground. She smiled excitedly at all the fairies around her. "Hello everyone, I am so pleased with all your hard work. I know you've put months of practice into this, and we're so excited to finally make this happen. I hope you're all ready to bring the cleansing cold of Winter to the Mainland this season."

Across the field, Vidia huffed loudly. She'd never gotten over her dislike for Tinkerbell, and was determined this season to prove she was still number one, and made sure everyone knew that it was her fast flying talent that brought the cold winds down from the jet streams. Whatever that meant.

"Now, I'm sure that the rest of us are getting cold, so lets send off our winter fairies with a bang!" The Queen raised her arms, light flickering from her fingers toward the sky. In an instant, the world was lit up with a golden glow, and snowflakes danced around in the air. Whoosh! Away went the fairies into the sky! Friend called good luck, and the cold wind swept the fairies in a magical dance through the air. Tinkerbell was caught up in it, hand still held tight in Silvermist's grasp as they followed the star to the mainland. No matter how many times she went with them, it was always still as breathtaking as the first time.

Nothing could beat going to the Mainland.

"Have fun," Silvermist winked. She and the other water fairies raced off, filling the sky with water and watching as the winter fairies turned the water into icicles and snow. Everything was quiet, snow dampening the sound, but it only made the magic seem that much more incredible.

"Winter is so beautiful," Tinkerbell breathed. She watched her breath turn into a cloud as it left her mouth, and wondered why she hadn't thought to make herself a coat this year. She sighed and hugged her whistle. "I guess I'd better find the owner."

A golden trail of pixie dust drifting behind her, she flew through the streets of town in search of the boy who had lost his whistle. She was sure it was a boy, although she couldn't say how, but the more she searched, the more desperate she was to find him. There was just something about him, whoever he was, that she couldn't place her finger on. She _longed _to find him, more than she'd ever longed for anything before. And that was a lot.

Hours past, each one more bitter cold than the last, until she had to land next to a chimney just to warm herself up again. Her body shivered uncontrollably, and she gasped when she dropped her whistle and noticed the color of her arms. She was nearly blue with cold! Pressing herself up against the chimney and absorbing the heat of the smoke as it rose through it to the sky, she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on the warm feeling.

Definitely should have made herself a coat.

"Stop it, you're hurting me!"

Bell opened her eyes, startled to hear the sound of a human voice below her in the street. She could never get over how loud humans were, or how strong their voices were. But that wasn't what made her suddenly become interested in the human below her. It was the fact that it was the voice of a young boy that made her grow excited. Hurriedly, she sidled around the side of the chimney to look down on the street, trying to keep at least some part of her touching it so she could remain warm.

There was a circle of older boys, surrounding a younger one who was crying. The others kept throwing snowballs at him, and as each one hit him, he cried out in pain and tears. "Stop it, please!" he pleaded. But they only laughed at him.

"You're such a baby, Thomas!" they taunted "Grow up! Take it like a man!"

It was then that Bell noticed that they weren't ordinary snowballs. The older boys were packing snow around rocks and driving them full force at poor Thomas, and laughing each time it made a visible bruise or cut. Such fury overwhelmed her that she was suddenly no longer cold. She stepped away from the chimney, prepared to dive in there and do…something…but she tripped over her whistle on the way. It snapped her out of her anger momentarily, just long enough for her to realize that she couldn't go rushing down there. They could hurt here, even kill her by accident. And what good would that do? She looked down in torment, knowing she could do absolutely nothing but watch.

"Hold it right there!" a new voice sounded.

Tinkerbell looked up, seeing another young boy running towards them at top speed. He had a stick in his hands, and his eyes burned with fury. As soon as she saw him, her heart leapt inside her and she knew…this was the boy she was looking for. But all she could do was watch.

"Oh, Peter," one of the older boys snorted, stopping his friends from throwing their snow covered rocks, and glared in Peter's direction. "What do you want? Have you thought about what I said?" he lifted his chin arrogantly. "About my offer?"

"I don't have to think about it," Peter answered darkly. His orange-colored hair hung shaggily down over his face, and he brushed it away with his hand. "I'll never join you." And without wasting another second, he dashed at the older boys and started to beat them with his stick.

A fight broke out then. It was harsh and brutal, and Tinkerbell couldn't tell who took more damage, or who had the upper hand. But after only a minute, the older boys all fled with yells and cries of revenge, leaving only Peter, and a crying Thomas.

Peter stuck his stick in his belt like a sword and turned to Thomas. "Are you alright?" he asked, lifting the younger boy up. Where once he was like righteous fury, he was quiet and concerned now. And Tinkerbell loved him even more for it.

Thomas wiped his eyes, nodding. "They said you weren't going to come. They said you had to join them now…because you're growing older…and they make the rules out here in the streets…"

Peter spat on the ground beside him in disgust. "I'll never join them!"

"But Peter…they're right. You are growing up! You'll have to join them if you want to survive. You wont get food otherwise!" Thomas cried.

"Well then I just wont grow up." The conviction in his voice was enough to make Tinkerbell believe that what he said was true.

"Everybody grows up," Thomas whimpered.

But Peter shook his head. "Not me. Never. I'll never grow up. I'll never be like them. And I wont steal for my food either."

"Then what will you do? You're too old to stay at the Mission anymore…"

"Something. I'll do something. But don't worry about it. You need to get back to the Mission. Come on, I'll take you." Peter took Thomas' hand, and led him through the streets out of sight, his face determined and hopeless at the same time.

But once he was gone, Tinkerbell was cold again. She felt like all the breath had just been taken from her lungs. And grabbing the whistle at her feet, she flew after him as fast as she could. She couldn't explain it…she _needed _to be near him!

By the time she found him again, he had already dropped off Thomas at a shabby brick building, where several young boys from ages 5 to 10 seemed to be all crowded together to get out of the cold. And though he put on a brave face as he walked away, swinging his stick for all to see, Peter looked sad and thoughtful. Bell could tell.

Several streets he walked, as though he had nowhere to go, and she followed him from the rooftops. How could she get his whistle to him without being seen? She didn't know, and she didn't know if she could bring herself to leave him yet. It was all so confusing. But finally, she mustered up her strength and flew closer just as he sat down on a stone step in a dark alley. She hid on the roof right above him, wondering if she should just drop the whistle on his head and hide. That might work.

But she never got the chance.

The older boys were back, and now there were more of them. They all carried sticks now, and they surrounded Peter with murderous glares. Tinkerbell gasped in horror. Oh no…they wouldn't!

"If you're not going to join us, then you can't stay in our town anymore, Peter," the speaker from before announced, stepping forward.

Peter sighed and stood, swinging his stick deftly like he would a sword. He never said a word.

"Get him," the speaker growled. "And get 'em good! We'll teach him to never set foot in our town again!"

They all rushed at him, beating and slashing with their makeshift weapons, crying out taunts and shouts of anger. Peter fought back, besting most of them without a sound. But he was overwhelmed, and before too long he was on the grown, at the mercy of their falling blows. Again and again they struck him, shouting at him to cry out for mercy. "Say Uncle!" they sneered at him. "Uncle! Uncle! Uncle! Uncle!"

Tinkerbell could take no more. Without even thinking about what she was doing, she lifted up the whistle and tossed it at the leader's eye, adding pixie dust to power the throw. It spun like a knife, a shrill whistle emanating from it as it sped top speed, drawing everyone's attention. For half a second everything was still, and every boy stared upwards at the shiny piece of metal that flew at them with such grace. And then it struck.

Her aim was true, and drawing a cry of pain from the leader of the bullies, it smashed full speed into his left eye. And all chaos broke loose. Half of the boys sped away, afraid that they had been caught by the police or some other threat, while the others ran around and tried to find who had thrown it. After running and screaming, and more yelling, they all decided to leave.

The leader turned and gave Peter a final kick in the stomach, then dashed off with the rest. And once again, there was quiet in the alley.

Tinkerbell sank to her knees, shaking. It worked….somehow….it worked. But now what?

Below her Peter stirred, and she gasped and leaned forward to see if he was okay. He was crying! At least, tears were coming from his eyes…but he still made no sound. Shakily, he dragged himself to his knees and stared down at the brass whistle that lay in the snow. He took it into his hands. "My whistle," he whispered, awe coloring his voice. "But…I lost it…"

He lifted his head and looked to the roof where Tinkerbell sat, watching him. And though she knew that no human could see her while she was on the Mainland, he seemed to be looking right at her. It gave her chills. Maybe she should leave now…

Peter stood, clutching his stomach, and walked toward her hesitantly. He stopped a ways back. "Are you real?" he asked, his voice still a whisper. But even a human voice whispered, a fairy could hear without difficulty.

Tinkerbell drew in a sharp breath of air. _He can see me? _She debated saying anything, but then lost to her fight to be wise and remain silent. She opened her mouth. "Yes," she answered, not knowing why she did.

His mouth fell open in surprise. "What are you? Where do you come from?"

Tinkerbell watched him, wondering how he could be so bruised, bleeding, and beaten, and still stand as though he could fight again. One eye was swollen, and his lip was cracked and bleeding, as well as numerous other injuries. But by the life and fire in his eyes, one could hardly tell he was even hurt. Her heart leapt out at him tremendously. And lifting into the air, she floated a little closer to him and sat down on the railing of some steps near him. "I'm a fairy," she answered. "I come from Neverland."

Peter's eyes widened at the name. "What's Neverland?" he asked.

"It's an Island, where nothing ever changes."

"Nothing?"

"No. The seasons don't change there. We have to come to the Mainland to make the changes happen." Tinkerbell cocked her head, studying him, even as he studied her.

"Does anyone grow up there?" a spark of hope sprang up in his eyes.

Tinkerbell thought about it. "I don't think so," she said slowly. "Fairies never grow old. And there are Indians there…they don't seem to grow old either. Princess Tigerlily is the Chief's daughter, and she's been twelve for as long as anyone can remember."

"Where is Neverland? Can I get there?"

Tinkerbell's face grew sad. "It's out there," she said, pointing to the sky. "Second star to the right and straight on till morning. But you need to fly to get there. And…you don't have wings."

His face fell. " Oh," he said. And then he was quiet.

Her heart going out to him again, Tinkerbell flew a little closer, and he held out his hand for her to land on. She did, standing on his palm, and looked up at his face. "Your name is Peter?" she asked, although she already knew the answer.

"Peter Pan," he replied. "I'm an orphan. We all are, out here on the streets…." His voice trailed off, and his eyes grew sad. But then he shoved that thought aside. "What's your name, fairy?"

"I'm Tinkerbell. My friends call me Bell or Tink, sometimes."

He smiled, the bruises and cuts on his face cracking a bit from the effort. "Tink. I like it! I'll call you Tink too."

And Tinkerbell felt that she would never want to be called anything else ever again.

"Thank you for my whistle," he said abruptly, opening his other hand and looking at it fondly. "My Dad gave it to me before he…." His eyes watered for a moment, then he stuck out his chin and toughed it out. "I'm glad to have it back again. Where did you find it? How did you know it was mine?"

"I don't know how I knew it was yours," Tink admitted, laughing. "I just did! I found it on Neverland. Lost Things get washed up there from time to time, and I fix them. Then I take them back to whomever they belong to."

"That's pretty neat, Tink!"

Tinkerbell beamed, blushing. And then a chill wind blew on her back, reminding her of Winter, and the fairies that had just finished getting it started. It was time for her and the other nature fairies to return to Neverland, and let the Winter fairies continue their work. Her face fell.

"What is it?" Peter asked, growing serious as well.

"I have to go home now," she said sadly. "Only…I don't want to say goodbye."

"Well then don't say goodbye," Peter admonished. "Say 'see you later' instead."

But it didn't make her feel any better. "See you later," she answered sadly, reaching out and touching his cheek with her hand. Her wings fluttered, lifting her up into the air, and she hovered backwards, never taking her eyes away from him. She didn't know if she ever would see him again.

He watched her float back, silent, until he couldn't bear it any longer. "Take me with you!" he blurted, tears springing to his eyes. "I have no home here! I don't want to grow up and be like _them_! Oh Tink, take me to Neverland with you, please? Please Tink, take me with you!"

His words tore her apart. "Oh Peter…" and tears sprang up in her words as well. "I don't know how…"

"There must be a way! Please don't leave me…I have no where to go…" he wiped his eyes. He looked so lost, so hopeless…. _He will surely die out here in the cold with no food or home…_

Tink froze in the air, and even her wings stilled their movements. And yet she remained hovering, not sinking to the ground unless she visualized herself sinking. Only then did she lose air. But why was that? Her eyes widened. Pixie dust? Could that be the answer? She flew above Peter's head just to experiment. What was it that she'd been told? "Pixie dust and Happy thoughts will raise your spirit and your wings," she quoted to herself. "Yes…Pixie dust and happy thoughts. That must be it!"

Peter stopped crying. "Think happy thoughts?" he asked. He closed his eyes and visualized something, taking great care. A soft smile touched his face, and it was so precious it made Tinkerbell want to cry.

"Queen Clarion, if you can hear me, please forgive me for what I am about to do," she whispered, and then showered dust onto Peter's head. More and more she poured, until she had almost nothing left, and just staying in the air was an effort. But it was enough.

Peter rose into the air. "I'm flying!" he cried, and as that thought made his spirit rise in a great burst, he soared higher into the air. "Oh Tink, I'm flying! I'm flying! Neverland, here I come!"

Faltering in her flight, Tink gave him a tired smile. It had taken a lot from her. "Follow me," she said. And as he grabbed his whistle and his stick, she led him into the sky toward the second star on the left…straight on till morning.

_So concludes the start of Peter Pan in Neverland._

_What's going to happen when they get there, though?_

_Rika195_


End file.
